Grumpy Cat lands movie

from: time.com
By Melissa LockerMay 31, 2013

Move over Garfield, Grumpy Cat is making the move to movies

Grumpy Cat –the king of the internet cat meme – is breaking off from the computer screen and heading to the silver screen. Grumpy Cat’s agent has sold a one-picture deal for a Garfield-like feature film in which Grumpy Cat, whose real name is Tardar Sauce, will star and, yes, talk. Grumpy Cat is no stranger to the camera. The grouch’s official YouTube Channel has over 120,000 subscribers and over 20 million views.

While some may be surprised about the meme-to-movie path, Grumpy Cat is one of the most successful internet memes around. “This started off as a picture of a cat, but rare is an image that evokes that much comedy,” Todd Garner, one of the producers of the Grumpy Cat film told Deadline. “You read all of the memes and the comments, and one is funnier than the next. We think we can build a big family comedy around this character.”

(MORE: Grumpy Cat Is Not Impressed by TIME’s Photo Shoot)

The movie deal is just another laurel in Grumpy Cat’s crown. The sour puss kitty has had a whirlwind year since a photo of her surly mug was posted on Reddit.com in September. Since then it’s been a swift ride to the top for Grumpy Cat. She was voted Meme of the Year at the 2013 Webby Awards, named the most influential cat of 2012 by MSNBC, a Meme of 2012 by Mashable, was the star of SXSW and has appeared on TV shows including Today, Good Morning America, CBS Evening News, Anderson Cooper Live, VH1 Morning Buzz and The Soup. The celebrated feline even stopped by TIME’s offices for a photo shoot.

Not that any of these accolades will turn that famous frown upside down.

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/05/31/grumpy-cat-goes-from-meme-to-movie/#ixzz2Utj0YCiG

Blind Golden Retriever, Ray Charles, Takes Web by Storm

from: yahoo.com
They say every dog has his day, and for Ray Charles, the blind 5-month-old Golden Retriever, that day is now. The visually-impaired puppy is taking the internet by storm with more than 13,500 Facebook friends.  The only male born in a litter of five on December 18, Ray Charles’ breeder could quickly tell something wasn’t quite right with the pup.  “He wasn’t interacting with the other puppies in the litter. He would just sit here and not do much,” his owner, Andrew Fales, 24, of Boston, told GoodMorningAmerica.com. But now that he’s been adopted into a home with two older Golden Retriever siblings, Jack and Harley, Ray Charles is happy, healthy and not impeded by his lack of vision. “He’s up for anything,” Fales said. “His favorite thing to do is play with Jack, his older brother. Whether it’s tug-of-war, or a ball, they’re always playing. And he loves to go on walks.”

Officer charged with shooting cat with arrow

from: kxan.com

Police officer charged with shooting cat with arrow

Updated: Thursday, 23 May 2013, 9:26 PM CDT

Published : Thursday, 23 May 2013, 5:12 PM CDT

BOERNE, Texas (KXAN) - Bobby, a 2-year-old tabby cat, survived being shot with an arrow and the off-duty Boerne police officer accused of the shooting was charged with animal cruelty.

According the WOAI, the NBC affiliate in San Antonio,Officer Lance DeLeon was arrested and accused of shooting Bobby with a crossbow on Tuesday. The four-year police veteran was released after posting a $2,000 bond.

South Texas Veterinary Specialists treated the cat for a punctured lung and a broken leg. The animal clinic said Bobby is expected to fully recover. The San Antonio clinic is a referral-only hospital and doesn't provide primary veterinary care.

DeLeon was placed on administrative leave. He was arrested by Boerne police responded to a call about a neighborhood disturbance.

New trend from "across the pond"??? Dog-bearding the new cat-bearding?

The request went out: "Tweet your dog beards to us at @HuffPostUK- or perhaps a cat beard is more to your liking?"

Results: 

from: huffingtonpostuk.com

Dog owners are fighting back against the 'cat beard' craze, creating their own quirky facial hair with the help of their pooches. 

Any dog-bearding Austinites??? 

Vino, pizza and dogs: What's not to love?

photo: Nicole Mlaker Photography

What : Fundraising event and silent auction to benefit DOGTOBERFEST 2013 

Where: Crú Food & Wine Bar at the Domain

When: noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 1, 2013

Cost: $20 ticket includes gourmet pizza and two glasses of wine

Please RSVP to 512-339-9463

Proceeds benefit 8 Austin dog rescue groups including Austin Sheltie Rescue, Central Texas Dachshund Rescue, Gold Ribbon Rescue, Hound Rescue, Texas Great Pyrenees, Texas Sweeties Dog Rescue, Wee Rescue

Is American Kennel Club doing enough to protect animals that get its seal of approval

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

from: today.com

New accusations that one of the country's largest organizations dedicated to dogs, the American Kennel Club, isn't doing enough to protect animals. TODAY National Investigative Correspondent Jeff Rossen reports.

When you go to buy a puppy, you want it to be happy, healthy and well-treated. A lot of people count on the American Kennel Club to find a breeder. When you see that AKC seal, you think to yourself: "I'm getting a good dog." But we've discovered disgusting conditions and sick dogs at AKC-registered operations.

The Westminster Dog Show is the epitome of canine perfection, and the American Kennel Club is proud to oversee it, calling itself "the dog's champion," registering puppies with official papers and inspecting breeders "to ensure proper care and conditions." Many dog owners count on it, looking for that seal before purchasing a puppy.

But critics say there's an ugly reality you don't see: Some AKC breeders raising diseased dogs, malnourished, living in their own filth. It's so disturbing that now two of the country's largest animal welfare groups, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society, are condemning the AKC.

We asked Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States: "If I'm looking to buy a dog and I see it has been AKC-inspected, AKC-registered, does that mean I'm getting a good dog?"

"Absolutely not. It really is just a piece of paper without any value for dog welfare," Pacelle told us.

Lillian Devera thought she was buying a dog from reputable breeder, impressed by an ad saying they were "AKC-inspected." "I assumed automatically I was getting a very healthy dog that was coming from a quality kennel," she told us.

"What did you end up getting?" we asked.

"A very sick puppy." Sick, she said, with intestinal parasites, an upper respiratory infection and a congenital eye defect. But records show the AKC had just inspected that kennel weeks earlier, and found them "in compliance.

To read more click here. 

Map of most dangerous dogs -- akin to sex offender registry -- debuts in Tennessee

from dogster.com:

by Michael Leaverton  

Last week, the Knox County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee unveiled its "dangerous dog map," which lists dogs that a judge has deemed dangerous. It's important to note that the map features only court-designated dangerous dogs, which are dogs cited by the court and found guilty of aggression, biting, or killing another animal. 

It works like an online sex-offender registry. The map shows not only where the dogs live, but also what they did and what they look like. 

"We felt responsible to tell the public about dogs that were classified as dangerous," Knox County Sheriff's Office Capt. Robert Hubbs told WBIR.com.

He says that many times owners don't comply with court orders -- some allow their dogs to run free despite a judge's instructions to keep the dog leashed. That, he claims, puts neighbors in danger. 

"It's not just about that dog and that individual. It extends to the kids in the neighborhood and other animals. Bottom line, we don't want anyone else bit. We don't want anyone else's animal killed," he said.

Knox County is a relatively small area, and only about a dozen dogs are on the map. But already it has become controversial. 

Vernita Law says her Boxer, Sassy, shouldn't be on the list. She says her dog has been wrongly accused and didn't bite anyone. Here's Sassy's profile: 

Click here to read more.